Confused - need help (Boston, Cambridge: apartment, rental, houses)

[emailvikash]

After endless googling and visiting several places (while hoping I've not lost what ever lil sanity is left in me) I decided to post here hoping I get some info/help on my apartment search.

Background: Recently moved from CT, my wife works in Framingham MA and I a couple of blocks from South Station. (I took up this job hoping we can avoid her 1.5 hr commute from CT each way).

Scenario: We were hoping to find a good apt (1 or 2 bedroom - relatively new i.e. <10 yrs old) in some place where I can take the T to financial district (State Street) and she can drive to Framingham and we both still have < 1 hr commute (each way).

We looked at the following places - Metro West (ruled out becos commuter rail time doesn't go well with my work schedule) - Shrewsbury/Westboro/Southboro/Framingham/Natick/.
So we decide to look at Medford, Malden, Melrose (but we hear that her 50 min commute as shown on google map will really be a 1.5 hr commute since 93 into boston will suck - although once on pike she will be on reverse commute).

Challenge: Green line (Newton) seemed like the most ideal location but there are just no good apt in our price range - the Avalons (while still overpriced are not available) & Arborpoint is just plain rip-off). The challenge becomes multifold since we only have one car and thus would like to live in walking distance of the T.

Any suggestions ????

Hoping you can comment on either of them
a) Is the i-93 commute into Boston to connect to MassPike really bad? Can I assume a 10 min buffer to google map time? My wife can leave for work between 7.00 - 8.00

b) Any area on Orange life (South of Downtown Crossing) that is safe to live in? Heard Dorchester & around areas are not safe esp. since I may have few late nights

c) Any other recommendation?

Thanks!

[ogre]

Newton was the first place that came to mind as I read your post. I would suggest that you not dismiss Newton so quickly. It might be a good idea to keep checking to see whether more rental properties become available.

Ideally you'd want the option to live in a neighborhood with whatever kind of feel you'd prefer, but you may need to be flexible, given your commuting constraints. Still, there are neighborhoods with various charactristics that could work.

Regarding your questions, I don't do an I-93 commute, but that road is notorious for traffic. During the prime commuting hours you could probably expect a much longer trip than the "book time." Dorchester is an area you might not want to rule out. I'm not highly familiar with most areas within Boston's city limits south or southwest of downtown, but the general rule in even the supposedly bad sections of Boston is that the quality of the area varies between neighborhoods. In areas such as Dorchester and Roxbury you'd need to do some research to know whether any property you were considering was in a decent neighbohood, but it's possible to find these.

Even though I wouldn't rule out Dorchester, the first area within the Boston city limits that comes to mind is Jamaica Plain. This is another section that has the reputation for varying in quality and safety from one local spot to another, though J.P. overall is known as a good section of Boston. The nicer local spots in J.P. may be somewhat family-oriented in some cases, and in many cases will be gentrified or gentrifying havens for young professionals. The reason I suggest J.P. in particular out of all the sections within Boston's city limits is that it's in a good location for your commuting needs. Being toward the west side of Boston, J.P. is closer to Framingham than Dorchester is, for example, and your commute would work from much of J.P. because the area is served by a branch of the green line.

Near J.P., another area to check out is Brookline. One point to keep in mind about Brookline is that they do not allow parking on the street at night, so you would need on-site parking, or need to be prepared to rent a parking space. The Coolidge Corner and Brookline Village neighborhoods have green line service. These areas have a feel similar to the upscale older inner-suburban feel you'd find in much of Newton. In the northeastern corner of Brookline, near Longwood Ave., the character is more urban, and this area, too, is close to the green line.

You said that the commuter rail schedule on the line out to Natick and Framingham does not work for your commute. You may want to check the timetables for the Fitchburg line going out toward the northwest: MBTA Commuter Rail > Fitchburg / South Acton Lines Schedules and Maps. From some locations, a commute on this line could be convenient for you. Depending on whether the red line or the orange line passes closer to the part of downtown where you work, you could get off the commuter train at either Porter Square or North Station, and transfer to the subway. Waltham, either near downtown or in the vicinity of Brandeis U., the Waverly Square neighborhood in Belmont, or Watertown up just across the line from Waverly Square are all areas convenient to the Fitchburg commuter rail line, from which a driving commute to Framingham would be reasonable.

Another town worth checking out in that area to the northwest of Boston is Arlington. There is a bus line serving Arlington which goes to the red line's Alewife station in Cambridge, and much of Arlington is conveniently located for a workable driving commute to Framingham.

[xS☺B☺s]

Well I guess the bottom line is the bottom line. I'm a bit confused as to why two incomes can't find anything. With two modest incomes my wife and I had a nice lifestyle on Park Drive in the Fenway and then moved to the South End eventually. There's plenty of stuff. All of downtown, Brookline should present options. She'll have a reverse commute so you'll need only one car, you could take the T to South station.

Boston is a 400 year old city. Why are you looking for someplace less than ten years old in a historic city? The brownstones everywhere have stood for 100 years plus and are built to last. Yea and there's plenty of places along the Orange Line that are fine. I lived between Mass Ave and Ruggles Station for 7 years without issue other than noise. Boston is nothing like Hartford or New Haven. Downtown is fab - the place to be. Check it out.

[gf2020]

The 93 commute in to Boston to connect to the Mass Pike is terrible and not one you should consider for your wife.

Why doesn't the commuter rail schedule work for your job? I would think that Natick or anywhere along the Franklin line would be great for both of you.

[eevee]

Originally Posted by Bostonian08

Well I guess the bottom line is the bottom line. I'm a bit confused as to why two incomes can't find anything. With two modest incomes my wife and I had a nice lifestyle on Park Drive in the Fenway and then moved to the South End eventually. There's plenty of stuff. All of downtown, Brookline should present options. She'll have a reverse commute so you'll need only one car, you could take the T to South station.

Boston is a 400 year old city. Why are you looking for someplace less than ten years old in a historic city? The brownstones everywhere have stood for 100 years plus and are built to last. Yea and there's plenty of places along the Orange Line that are fine. I lived between Mass Ave and Ruggles Station for 7 years without issue other than noise. Boston is nothing like Hartford or New Haven. Downtown is fab - the place to be. Check it out.

this was basically what I was thinking. a quick search of the Avalon and Arborpoint shows me that these are luxury complexes, complete w/ gourmet kitchens w/ granite, clubhouses, pools, fitness centers, even a putting green at one locale. all for the average price of about $1800 for a one bedroom apartment (this is at Avalon. couldn't even find the rental prices for the other place). all swell if you can afford it, but realize that Newton has cheaper housing, so the idea that you can't afford Newton isn't true.

you may have to downgrade the luxuries and make due w/o a pool, and you may have to consider an older rental (as mentioned, Boston is an old city w/ few properties built in the past 10 years. on the other hand, there are a lot of places w/ old "bones" but may have been gutted and renovated) but relatively affordable housing can be found in Newton. you just have to keep looking and be more flexible, both on housing options and commute times if need be

ETA: OP hasn't exactly given us a price range, now that I think about. again, w/ a 2 income home, I'd assume it's a high budget, but for all I know, it could just be $1200 for a 2 bedroom apartment

[Beantown_mama]

Do you have kids? If you don't have any kids in the schools, then Watertown or Waltham might fit the bill. From Watertown, you could take a bus to Harvard Square, and from Waltham, there is a commuter rail stop that you could take to Porter Square, if you want to take public transportation. Your wife would have a pretty easy commute West on 90, in the opposite way of rush hour traffic.

[anouk_pantoufle]

Originally Posted by emailvikash

So we decide to look at Medford, Malden, Melrose (but we hear that her 50 min commute as shown on google map will really be a 1.5 hr commute since 93 into boston will suck - although once on pike she will be on reverse commute).

I'm from Malden originally, and you do NOT want your wife doing that commute on a daily basis. I did it, and in less than a year it nearly did me in. On paper it might look OK, but with traffic it gets to be insane (and it seemed as though there wasn't any sort of shortcut that totally alleviated the traffic - and believe me, I know my shortcuts!)

Others have given great suggestions - I'll also add that you should work with a - or some - realtors. Just answering ads will lead you on so many dead ends it can drive you crazy!